The United Nations (UN) reiterated its call to allow entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods through “all available ports” in the Gaza Strip, due to the worsening famine among the Palestinian population.

Farhan Haq, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stressed in his daily press briefing that “with famine on the rise, the volume of supplies entering Gaza remains insufficient” and that “impediments” persist both in the entry and distribution of supplies.

Haq noted that the humanitarian community requires"an urgent ramp-up of supplies and an environment that allows humanitarian workers to reach people in need quickly, safely, and efficiently." In addition to the food shortages, he highlighted the lack of medicine and the severe impact on the health system, hampered by the lack of fuel. The official reported that on Monday, the UN managed to bring three fuel trucks into Gaza City, intended to power the most critical water, hygiene, and telecommunications facilities that are currently operating"at a minimum."

Despite reports of easing the entry of commercial goods, Haq specified that access remains limited, with only two ports of entry being used. He stressed that aid must flow through"all available ports." Asked about Israeli plans to occupy Gaza, announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and questioned by several countries, the spokesperson described the reports as"speculation." However, he noted that the UN has remained in Gaza for nearly two years of conflict, which has entailed"a tremendous cost and the loss of 300 lives of our people in Gaza."

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk denounced the “intolerable images” of Palestinians “dying of hunger” amid the Israeli offensive, describing the situation as “heartbreaking” in a territory where more than 60,900 deaths have already been recorded. “Israel continues to restrict aid distributions in Gaza, and the incoming assistance falls far short of what is needed. Israel must immediately facilitate the rapid delivery of aid in quantities sufficient to provide humanitarian relief to suffering civilians,” he said.

Turk recalled that"denying civilians access to food is a war crime and may constitute a crime against humanity." He also addressed the treatment of Israeli hostages held by armed groups, stating that they should receive immediate assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross and that no individual deprived of their liberty should be treated"as a bargaining chip."

Palestinian health officials reported the deaths of at least 40 people on Monday as a result of Israeli gunfire and airstrikes in Gaza, including 10 aid seekers and five deaths from starvation. The 10 deaths occurred in two incidents near centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed organization in the central and southern Gaza Strip. Since the GHF began operations in May 2025, the United Nations estimates that more than 1,000 people have died trying to receive humanitarian aid, most of them from Israeli gunfire near their sites.

Israel's military aid agency, COGAT, said more than 23,000 tons of aid arrived in 1,200 trucks last week, but acknowledged that hundreds remain undistributed at UN and other facilities. The military added that six countries, along with COGAT, had dropped 120 food aid packages on Gaza"in the last few hours."

The UN and Palestinian officials emphasize that around 600 trucks must enter daily to meet minimum humanitarian needs, a figure Israel allowed before the start of the conflict.